When your WiFi says “renew lease,” it means that your device’s current IP address, which is assigned to it by the router through a process called DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol), is about to expire. DHCP leases are temporary and typically last for a certain period of time, such as a few hours or days. Once the lease expires, your device needs to request a new IP address from the router in order to continue accessing the network.
The reason behind renewing the lease is to manage and allocate IP addresses efficiently within a network. By assigning temporary leases, routers can ensure that IP addresses are not tied up indefinitely by devices that are no longer connected or in use. This dynamic allocation allows for more efficient use of the available IP address pool.
When your device connects to a wireless network, it sends a DHCP request to the router, which then assigns an IP address to the device for a specific lease duration. As the lease expiration time approaches, your device will attempt to renew the lease by sending another request to the router. If successful, the router will extend the lease duration and your device will continue using the same IP address. However, if the renewal request fails or if you manually trigger a lease renewal, the router will assign a new IP address to your device.
There are several reasons why your WiFi may prompt you to renew the lease:
1. Lease Expiration: The lease duration set by the router has reached its limit, and your device needs to renew the lease to continue using the network. This is a normal process and happens automatically in the background without user intervention most of the time.
2. Network Changes: If there have been recent changes to the network, such as a new router being installed or a change in network settings, you may need to manually renew the lease to ensure your device is using the updated network configuration.
3. Connectivity Issues: In some cases, when your device is experiencing connectivity issues or is unable to communicate with the router effectively, renewing the lease can help resolve the problem. This is because obtaining a new IP address may establish a fresh connection and resolve any communication glitches.
4. Network Security: Renewing the lease can also be used as a security measure. By regularly changing IP addresses, it becomes more challenging for potential attackers to target specific devices on the network. If you suspect any security concerns, renewing the lease can be a proactive step to mitigate potential risks.
To manually renew the lease and obtain a new IP address, you can follow these steps:
1. On your device, navigate to the network settings.
2. Find the option to manage or view the current wireless network connection.
3. Look for the option to renew the lease or release/renew the IP address. This may vary depending on your device’s operating system.
4. Click on the renew lease option, and your device will send a request to the router for a new IP address.
5. Wait for the process to complete, and your device will be assigned a new IP address by the router.
It’s worth noting that renewing the lease should be done when necessary or as directed by your network administrator. Most of the time, the automatic lease renewal process works seamlessly, and there is no need for manual intervention.
The “renew lease” message on your WiFi indicates that your device’s assigned IP address is about to expire, and it needs to request a new IP address from the router. This dynamic allocation of IP addresses helps ensure efficient network management and connectivity. Renewing the lease can be done manually in certain situations, such as network changes or connectivity issues, but it is typically handled automatically by the device and router.